The United States said Thursday it was confident of a just verdict in the trial of two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing as it marked the 12th anniversary of the deadly attack.

"Today, our thoughts are with the families and friends of those lost in this brutal and craven act of violence against innocent men, women and children," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said.

"Nothing can possibly undo the terrible devastation of an act of terrorism of this magnitude," he said in a statement. "However, unlike past anniversaries of this sad event, those charged with the bombing of Pan Am 103 are now on trial.

"We welcome this development and are confident that the Scottish court hearing this case under Scottish law will reach a just verdict," Reeker said.

Libyans Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah and Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi are accused of planting a bomb on the plane that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988, killing 270 people, 189 of them Americans.

They are being tried under Scottish law in a special court set up in a US base in the Netherlands.

On December 5, the court adjourned until January 8 after the prosecution rested and the defense presented its first witnesses -- WASHINGTON (AFP)